Matusz and Anderson: A Glove Story

I can only assume that the MASN cameras must have focused on Brady Anderson’s name inscribed on the glove of Orioles left-hander Brian Matusz. Or perhaps the announcers talked about it. I’m not quite sure, but I’ve received a ton of inquiries about it.

I wouldn’t have noticed it from my seat in the press box, and the media isn’t allowed to poke through the players’ lockers. I could only take your words for it until finally approaching Matusz yesterday afternoon.

“Hey Brian, I’ve got a weird question for you.”

How’s that for an ice-breaker?

I proceeded to tell Matusz about the fans’ interest/obsession with his glove. Or more accurately, Anderson’s glove that Matusz has borrowed or stolen or whatever.

Matusz told me that he’s been wearing the glove for his last two starts, in Anaheim and at Camden Yards.

“Brady gave it to me,” Matusz said.

OK, so it wasn’t stolen. No need for a police report.

“He was like, ‘If you want to pitch like a big leaguer, you need to use a big league glove,’” Matusz recalled. “He said he’s never given a glove to anyone before. When we went to Anaheim, he went home and found it and asked if I wanted to pitch with it, and I said, ‘Yeah.’”

Is the glove really different from the one Matusz used to slip on his right hand?

“No,” he replied. “I mean, it’s a nice glove. It’s a cool gift. Brady gave it to me, and I thought I’d mix it up and try it out.”

Matusz gave up four earned runs (six total) in five innings against the Angels, with the defense sabotaging what could have been a solid outing. However, the Blue Jays managed only two unearned runs in six innings Thursday for Matusz’s first quality start since the end of the 2010 season.

Baseball players are known to be superstitious, so can we assume that Matusz will continue to use the glove?